The practice is mostly popular in schools considered as organized where the principals want to be more involved in the learning process. It is defined as the act of regularly paying visits to lecture halls by school principals in order to evaluate some outlined instructional practices or specific instructions. Classroom walkthroughs bring a lot of benefit not only to the teacher but the whole school at large.
The teachers are reminded of the school motto, mission and goal and asked to teach with respect to them. The commonly used tools in such a process include some clinical supervision, thorough classroom observation by supervisors and ensuring feedback is communicated to responsible persons. The teaching skills of a teacher are basically observed but not with an intention of correcting them but rather assisting teachers improve their skills.
A research done recently actually shows that those high performing schools actively seek to basically establish clear and precise expectation that their administrator will be the primary architect of all instructional improvement and instructional leader of that school. Instructional leadership generally can take several forms ranging from ensuring only highly quality materials of teaching are available readily, ensuring professional development to modeling lessons and conducting formal observations.
But the most essential part of instructional leadership is the interaction between the teachers and principal that arises as a result of the practice. Some scholars defines the exercise as a brief, non evaluative, non judgmental, structured observation done by supervisor or principal that is basically followed by brief conversation between the supervisor and the concerned teacher or lecturer about what the principal observed.
Many teachers actually do not approve of this method of evaluation since they feel as if they are being diminished or spied upon by their principals. School heads or leader usually work in an environment that is very stressing and if it is true that exercises relives stress, then such principals should be among those people considered healthy due to the walking they do around the school. This technique of walking through was borrowed from the work of famous author known as Carolyn Downey.
It is for this reason that the practice has been made non threatening, friendly and above all non evaluative. The principals or administrators generally get a chance to have a brief snapshot of what usually happens on the ground. When the school head has understood what the situation is like on the ground, then they can approach junior teachers and guide them on areas they feel they are not doing well or giving their best.
Not person should feel intimidated when being corrected or when being advised on the best ways to approach delivery of instructions. Not principal should use the process as the basis or ground to write a negative report about the teacher. The process should as well not be used as basis for firing people from their work.
There are those teachers that actually dislike the process considering it as being degrading and intimidating. This is a wrong perception of the process as it main goal is to only improve how a person does things or approaches things. The teachers though should be made aware of the benefits associated with the practice. Famous scholars and authors who have largely contributed to this practice include Sather E, Susan, McNeely Marguerite and Lawrence Hayden.
The teachers are reminded of the school motto, mission and goal and asked to teach with respect to them. The commonly used tools in such a process include some clinical supervision, thorough classroom observation by supervisors and ensuring feedback is communicated to responsible persons. The teaching skills of a teacher are basically observed but not with an intention of correcting them but rather assisting teachers improve their skills.
A research done recently actually shows that those high performing schools actively seek to basically establish clear and precise expectation that their administrator will be the primary architect of all instructional improvement and instructional leader of that school. Instructional leadership generally can take several forms ranging from ensuring only highly quality materials of teaching are available readily, ensuring professional development to modeling lessons and conducting formal observations.
But the most essential part of instructional leadership is the interaction between the teachers and principal that arises as a result of the practice. Some scholars defines the exercise as a brief, non evaluative, non judgmental, structured observation done by supervisor or principal that is basically followed by brief conversation between the supervisor and the concerned teacher or lecturer about what the principal observed.
Many teachers actually do not approve of this method of evaluation since they feel as if they are being diminished or spied upon by their principals. School heads or leader usually work in an environment that is very stressing and if it is true that exercises relives stress, then such principals should be among those people considered healthy due to the walking they do around the school. This technique of walking through was borrowed from the work of famous author known as Carolyn Downey.
It is for this reason that the practice has been made non threatening, friendly and above all non evaluative. The principals or administrators generally get a chance to have a brief snapshot of what usually happens on the ground. When the school head has understood what the situation is like on the ground, then they can approach junior teachers and guide them on areas they feel they are not doing well or giving their best.
Not person should feel intimidated when being corrected or when being advised on the best ways to approach delivery of instructions. Not principal should use the process as the basis or ground to write a negative report about the teacher. The process should as well not be used as basis for firing people from their work.
There are those teachers that actually dislike the process considering it as being degrading and intimidating. This is a wrong perception of the process as it main goal is to only improve how a person does things or approaches things. The teachers though should be made aware of the benefits associated with the practice. Famous scholars and authors who have largely contributed to this practice include Sather E, Susan, McNeely Marguerite and Lawrence Hayden.
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